


Nipples

by Lamp_Lamp_Barry_Allen (Arii_Writes)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Artist Merlin (Merlin), Could Be Considered Crack, Gen, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Gwaine is best wingman, Life Drawing, M/M, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, i don't know how to tag, wingman gwaine, you know where this is going
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arii_Writes/pseuds/Lamp_Lamp_Barry_Allen
Summary: Merlin isn't prepared for his first life drawing class, and he certainly isn't prepared for the model to be *him*Or his best friend insisting on making him laugh like that.Based off of the prompt: I'm naked in your art class, please stop giggling, what are you giggling at? AUI wrote this for my boyfriend because he wanted it and because I told him to ask me for some things. I'm not the most proud of it, and it's certainly not my best work, hence it being posted user my crackfic pseud.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 80





	Nipples

**Author's Note:**

  * For [C4rm1ne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/C4rm1ne/gifts).



Merlin knew he shouldn’t be nervous, he was confident in his art skills, and honestly, that was more than he had before he started the classes. Today would be different though, he’d always drawn people in a certain way, that certain way was with their clothes firmly attached to their bodies. He wasn’t ready for life drawing, not in the slightest.

He’d barely mustered up the courage to even enter the room tonight when he noticed a familiar head of dirty blond hair peeking its way over the changing screen. It as him. Who’s him? Well, he’s only the most notable polo player at Camelot College! As well as his popularity, he was also the boy that kept Merlin awake at night wondering about the future. Mainly the future of “When will he notice me? Will he ever say hi back?”

He could feel the heat in his own face, and he could feel the eyes of his closest friend watching him. “What do you want Gwaine?” He was expecting a witty remark about how red his face was and the exasperation showed through in his tone. Of all the things Gwaine did, tease him about his unrequited crush was the most annoying by far.

“Don’t forget the nipples.” Merlin could see that mischievous grin, but what the fuck was that supposed to mean? ‘Don’t forget the nipples.’ Had he missed something, it wouldn’t surprise him if he did, he may be a veteran sarcastic, but sometimes things just went over his head. 

Before he could voice his thoughts out loud, however, their instructor was standing on the minuscule stage and announcing their model for the evening. “Hello, my budding artists, for today we have a very special model indeed.” they gestured roughly to the man in the robe walking over, “Our college’s prince, Arthur Pendragon!”

All the girls in the class, and Gwaine, were wolf-whistling, all the boy’s clapping. It was odd, the normal models didn’t get this until the end, but Merlin was far too transfixed on him to clap along. Feeling the gentle burn rapidly spreading across his face and knowing full well his pale complexion would do nothing to hide it, he took to hiding behind his easel. Only then he heard the robe drop to the floor in an unceremonious thud and couldn’t resist a peek.

He was still wearing boxers, thank god. 

That’s when it clicked. All Merlin could see was nipples, he couldn’t tear his eyes away, even once Arthur was in position and they were given the go-ahead to begin. It stayed like that for several minutes, Merlin staring until a tap on the shoulder from the instructor pulled him out of his trance. “Sorry, just trying to visualise the outcome in my head.” He really should ask Gwaine for lying lessons.

As he began outlining the rough shapes he heard Gwaine’s faint whisper of “Nippy nips.” which apparently only he heard. Despite nearing 23 he’d never lost that jovial sense of humour though, so the small snicker that ensued couldn’t be helped. 

And it continued on like this, for 2 hours, him slowly gaining his composure, and Gwain ruining it by mentioning nipples in some way shape or form. His poor drawing had only one semi-complete aspect.

Yes, it was the nipples.

\---------------

Arthur was getting frustrated, and he was getting frustrated quick. It was taking everything he had in him not to storm over there and ask what was so funny. He didn’t think he’d last another giggle. 

Speak of the devil, and he shall come. Another gentle giggle left the boy’s lips, if he wasn’t slowly filling with rage he probably would have appreciated the sound. Instead, glued to his post, he decided to just yell. “WHAT ARE YOU FINDING SO UTTERLY HILARIOUS?”

That was a mistake.

The boy only began laughing more uncontrollably, almost beginning to double over. “Well?” He noticed Gwaine, one of his fencing teammates, also begin to laugh, “What is it?”

“N-N-Ni” The boy could barley finish a word, this was hopeless, “Nipples.”

Arthur watched as Gwain almost fell onto the floor with laughter and the boy struggled to catch his breath. “My nipples?” He felt a sudden wave of self-consciousness wash over him, a feeling he rarely got to witness first hand, despite that though, he could hide it well. “What’s wrong with my nipples?”

The boy stopped wheezing for a split second and uttered the words, “Nothing sire, your nipples are simply exquisite.” He doubled back over struggling to breathe and clutching his right lung. Arthur couldn’t believe what he was hearing and signalled for the session to be stopped, instantly marching over to the young man and Gwaine.

“What is your name?” 

\---------------

Gwaine didn’t give him time to reply for himself. “That’s Merlin, the one I was telling you about.” He was struggling through his own laughing fits, but composing himself much faster than Merlin would ever be capable of. 

Merlin stopped laughing in an instant though, defying all odds. Gwaine had talked about him to Arthur, the Arthur? He stuck out his hand to shake, praising whoever was out there that the flush from his onslaught of laughter and coughing would hide the redness feeling Arthurs’ hand touch his would cause.

I say would, because we all know he was refused a handshake. 

Saying it didn’t hurt and he couldn’t feel that little tug on his heart would be lying, but he soldiered on. “I’m sorry, it was Gwain’s fault -”

“Hey!”

“- He thought it would be a good idea to ease my nerves.” Not a whole truth, but a passable lie leaving Merlin’s lips was a start. Arthur didn’t look like he was buying it at first, but after a while, he succumbed to it.

“I should have expected nothing less from him, I apologise for assuming you were just trying to pick a fight, Merlin.”

“Perhaps you could buy me a drink and we’ll call it even?”

“Deal!”

And that’s the story of how Gwaine is best wingman.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want a second chapter or an update to see what happens next, join the queue with my boyfriend and if there's enough of you then you can get chapter 2.


End file.
